This invention relates generally to spray cooling systems, and particularly to spray cooling systems for gable roofs of the type commonly employed in the construction of single and multiple family dwellings.
As noted in the January, 1960 issue of Piping and Air Conditioning, spray cooling systems have heretofore been constucted and utilized in cooling industrial buildings. In general, the system consists of a pipe mounted upon the building roof which is pierced at numerous locations. The pipe is connected to a supply of water through conventional valve control means. Periodically, the valve is operated whereupon water is forced through the pierced holes in the pipe and sprayed as a sheet of water in an overlapping pattern directly from the pipe onto the building roof. Thereupon solar heat evaporates the water upon the roof absorbing some 8500 BTUs of heat in the process for each gallon of water employed. This action inhibits a buildup of heat beneath the building roof thereby serving to cool the building interior. In many of these industrial usages the sheet-spray also tends to eleviate fly ash problems where considerable amounts of paper are burned daily in the vicinity of the building. In addition, this system may be utilized in an emergency as a fire extinguisher.
Though industrial roof spraying systems of the type just described have enjoyed commercial success in cooling industrial buildings, they have not met with any marketed degree of acceptance in the residential building market. Probably the foremost reason for lack of success here is attributed to the absence of system aesthetics. The placement of conduits atop the roofs of family dwellings can easily render them quite unattractive. They quite naturally endower the residential house or apartment with an industrial type of esthetic effect.
The design of residential buildings also differs ordinarily in one important way that lessens the efficiency of the prior art roof spray cooling systems where used therewith. Normally the ratio of roof to wall areas is substantially higher in modern industrial buildings. Since exterior to interior heat transfer occurs both from the roof as well as walls, the net effect of adopting an industrial roof cooling system of the prior art onto a residential building is lessened. The present invention overcomes these and other problems in an unique manner thereby permitting spray systems now to be built and incorporated into existing as well as new residential buildings with enhanced operating efficiency and without substantial harm to the appearance of the building from its principal viewpoint.
Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a spray cooling system for gable roofs of the type utilized in residential construction.
More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide a spray cooling system for a gable roof in which working components of the system may be hidden from view from a principal side of the dwelling.
Another object of the invention is to provide a spray cooling system of the type described whose operation tends to cool the sides of the residential building as well as its roof.
Another object of the invention is to provide a spray cooling system of the type described which is readily adapted to various degrees of roof pitch.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a spray cooling system of the type described which does not tend to become clogged or plugged over prolonged periods of operation which in turn negates the need for frequent maintenance.